John Stuart Mill Notes - Introduction-John Stuart Mill...

Introduction-John Stuart Mill•Mill’s LifeoBorn May 20, 1806 in LondonoEducation-father wanted him to have first rate education, educated entirely by his father, James Mill, began reading Greek at age 3, by age 8 he was able to translate classics from Ancient Greek and Ancient Latin into Englisho“mental crisis” (nervous breakdown)-age 21Recovery-found his capacity for emotion was not deado“public intellectual”oNewspaper/journal writer and editor (engaging in public debates through newspapers and journals)oBritish East India Company employee-clerkoRector of St. Andrew’s University in ScotlandoMember of Parliament (1865-1868)oCo wrote with a married woman-Harriet Taylor (was married to a man who was pretty well off, could provide for her and that she had an affection to, but not equally intellectual), he doesn’t want her to associate with Mill, leaves for Paris, comes back and tells her husband to deal with her spending him with Mill and tells Mill to deal with the fact that she is married, Harriet and Mill are in love with each otheroMarried her on her husband’s deathoRetired in Avignon, France, but kept writingoHarriet’s daughter served as Mill’s secretary, took care of him after Harriet diedoDied in 1873•Mill’s England

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oIndustrial Revolution-radical changes in societyoMonarchyKings George III, George IV and William IV, general decreases in monarchy’s powerQueen Victoria (1837-1901)-power limited even furtheroParliament (legislative branch)House of Commons-most common branch, land owning elites elected from boroughsHouse of Lords-upper house in Parliament, members by virtue of hereditaryFranchise-“the vote,” limited to landowners, 440,000 out of 17 million•Reform Acts of 1832 and 1867, rose number of votes to about 717,000, power to middle class (1832), 1867-redistributed seats of Parliament, increased number of voters, women and lower class could still not votePrime Minister-executive-the government includes the prime minister and subordinate ministers, prime minister is selected from the ParliamentRotten Boroughs-very small groups•Two Theories of GovernmentoPractical Act-choose goals you want then design government to meet thatoNatural History-the government arises from people’s natureStudy what people are like then design government•Mill believes some of bothoCan choose based on goals, but…

oPeople must be suited for governmentoNo one government is suited for all people at all times•Ideally best form of government-for best suited for advanced peopleoTwo criteriaPromotion of the good management of public affairs (given the current state of the people)Improvement in people active, intellectual and more faculties (A.I.M.)•Mill rejects Enlightened Despotismo

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